


Judgement

by Fieryflamess



Series: Julian's Route [16]
Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-14 08:22:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28542486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fieryflamess/pseuds/Fieryflamess
Summary: Everything's starting to come together. A little love, a little adventure, and friends all at once. What can't they do with a little teamwork?Guess who decided to edit a whole chapter mere hours before needing to be up for school even with plenty of time over break to do it? Couldn't be me. Sorry for not updating in so long.
Relationships: Apprentice/Julian Devorak
Series: Julian's Route [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1877557





	Judgement

### Never Alone

The situation couldn't be more dire. Julian and Ryuhiko were alone, separated from Portia and Mazelinka and all their friends. They were lost in magical darkness and trapped by the Devil's enchanted chain. The Devil could kill them if he wanted. Despite that, despite everything, Julian was smiling.

"...I love you," Julian said.

"Julian..." Ryuhiko trailed off.

"You, uh, you don't have to say it back, I mean, it's not, you know, _required_ or anything—"

"I love you too."

"—I'd understand if you... uh, if you...? You do?" He sounded absurdly surprised.

"Of course I do, Julian. After everything we've been through together, everything we've done, everything we've seen. How could I not?" With each word, Ryuhiko felt lighter, brighter, as if the love welling up within him could lift him into the air.

"Ryu, I've wanted to tell you that I love you for the longest time now. And to hear it back from you is...! It's-it's more than I could ever have imagined! I love you. I always will."

"Are you _finished_ yet?" The Devil drawled, getting annoyed. "I know you humans like to prattle, but this is a bit much. I think it's about time I wrapped things up here." The chains around Ryuhiko constricted with crushing force. His ribs groaned under the intense pressure.

"Ryuhiko! We can do this together! I'm with you!" Julian sounded so fierce, so sure of their success. It made Ryuhiko feel like he could do anything, even defeat an Arcana. Ryuhiko felt a renewed surge of affection and pride. Julian had come so far since he first met him.

"Don't tell me you're going to try the same trick twice."

But something was different. The power that leaped to Ryuhiko's hands was far more than he expected, more than he'd ever had. It was coming from Julian. A current of power flowed between them, bolstered by their connection. Julian's eyes were wide with astonishment. He must have been able to feel it too. The chains around Ryuhiko convulsed, then loosened. He could breathe again. He seized the momentary advantage and worked a hand free enough to grab one of the chains.

"Get him, Ryuhiko!" Julian cheered.

Ryuhiko poured their combined magic into the enchanted metal. It seized violently under his hands. Then, with a sharp _crack_ , it shattered. It set off a ripple effect along the chains binding him, then Julian. Metal splintered and crumbled to ash. They were free.

"And what do you have to say to that, huh?!" Julian taunted.

The Devil shrugged idly. He didn't look concerned at all. "So you broke a few chains. So what? Do you really think you can fight me alone?"

But they weren't alone. There was no way Ryuhiko could know that, and yet he felt it in his heart. He took a deep breath. "Portia! Mazelinka!" The shadows swallowed their names. Only silence answered.

"Oh, please. Did you really think they would be stupid enough to stay? They ran off a long time ago."

"Ha! As if they'd ever do that!" Julian said.

Ryuhiko nodded firmly. He and Julian both knew they had stayed. They must have been trying to find them, even now. Maybe. Maybe he could get to them. He reached out, blindly stretching his hands into the darkness. For a long, breathless moment, he felt nothing. Then a tough, weathered hand caught one of his hands. A smaller, callused hand curled around his other wrist. He pulled as hard as he could.

"Got you!" Mazelinka said.

"Ryuhiko! Ilya! You're alright!" Portia seemed relieved but quickly got down to business. "Alright, Devil, time we showed you who's boss!"

Julian put his hand on Ryuhiko's shoulder, squeezing reassuringly. Magic flowed through him, building higher and higher, singing at a fever pitch. Then it burst free, in a flash of light that dazzled Ryuhiko even as it burned the darkness away. He'd never been so happy to see the Magician's realm in his life. The colorful water swirled around their feet. Above their heads, the storm was beginning to clear.

"...Well, now. You're full of surprises, aren't you?" The Devil flicked his fingers. The storm returned full-force, rain and thunder roaring around them. The sky split with flashes of red lightning, silhouetting the Devil as he loomed ahead of them. "But don't get complacent now. I've broken kings and warlords. I've shaped the course of your history, bent your entire world to my will. I reduced five of my fellow Arcana to whispers in the dark. What can four humans possibly do to me?"

"Then how about seven of us?" Asra stepped through the doorway on the beach in a swirl of prismatic fabric.

"I always did enjoy a good dramatic entrance," Nazali said.

"Asra! Nazali! You made it! But, er, wait. There's only six of us." Julian counted.

"There _were_ only six of us." Asra corrected. Behind Asra and Nazali, another person stepped out onto the sand.

"M-milady?!" Portia stuttered.

"Portia. I'm glad to see you're unharmed." Nadia said.

"Well, well. Countess Satrinava. I wouldn't have thought you'd throw your lot in with these amateurs." The Devil said. "Wouldn't you prefer to be on the winning side?"

"Don't insult me."

More chains skunked around the Devil's feet, coiling like serpents, ready to strike.

"Just try it." Ryuhiko snarled.

The chains lashed out at them. Ryuhiko reacted in an instant, his magic flaring brightly between them. Even without touching the others, he could feel them behind him, pillars of light and power that answered his call. The chains shuddered as his magic seized them. But instead of breaking, they twisted in mid-air and shot back toward the Devil. The Devil made a quick motion with one black-clawed hand, and the chains dropped harmlessly into the surf.

He looked surprised? Ryuhiko wasn't expecting that any more than he was. He stared at his hands, bemused. Was it because there were seven of them? Behind him, Julian stepped up, resting his hand on his shoulder. Mazelinka and Portia took up position on his other side. Nadia, Asra, and Nazali fanned out. They stood shoulder-to-shoulder, facing down the Devil.

"Ryu, you're... You're _glowing_." Julian said incredulously.

There was so much magic flowing through Ryuhiko that it eddied and swirled just beneath his skin. With every second that passed, it glowed brighter and brighter, A manifestation of all their powers combined.

"A light show. Is that your idea of intimidation?" The Devil asked.

Ryuhiko could feel the Devil's power gathering too, oppressive heat and crushing pressure. A wave of magic abruptly broke up the standoff. It was so powerful that Ryuhiko stumbled as it passed over him. He couldn't take his eyes off the Devil to look, but he was sure it came from behind him, from the marble door on the sand. It must've been just an echo of whatever was happening in the palace. What was going on?

The Devil's smile was slow and viciously satisfied. "It seems like I won't have time to crush you after all. Everything is ready. And ahead of schedule, at that."

"What? What's ready?" Julian asked.

"Why, my ritual to merge the realms, of course. I need only put the finishing touches on it."

"That can't be. You need us to finish the ritual." Asra said.

"Your presence here inconveniences me, true... but you haven't stopped me. Though, you're becoming more trouble than you're worth. So I'll only say this once. Stop wasting my time. Turn around, go through that door, and do as you're told. Otherwise...? Well. Who knows what might happen? The decision is yours." As the Devil faded from view, the storm finally subsided.

Julian looked around at the water, up at the sky, and finally at Ryuhiko. "Is he gone?"

Ryuhiko couldn't feel that stifling aura anywhere. He nodded slowly, still reeling. "He's gone."

"Bah! That coward!" Mazelinka scoffed. "Don't let his bluffing fool you, Ryuhiko. He's just trying to get under your skin."

"Mazelinka's right," Julian said. "Take it from me. We sent him running with his tail between his legs!"

Their confidence lifted his spirits. He couldn't help but smile, even though it didn't do anything for the exhaustion creeping in. Like he'd overdone it.

Julian whirled to face their friends with a brilliant grin, fixing his shirt as he talked. "And it's all thanks to our friends. Excellent timing, Asra!"

"It worked out pretty well, didn't it?" Asra said.

"Ilya, I see you're still attracting trouble," Nazali said.

"Aren't I always?" Julian replied.

"Just like I'm always bailing you out."

"And Countess! I, er, I admit, I didn't expect you to come."

"I was with Nazali when Asra came looking for them. And after he told me what was at stake, I couldn't just turn my back on all of you." Nadia explained.

"What about the Masquerade, milady?" Portia asked. "If both of us are here, then..."

"My sisters will be keeping an eye on the party. I thought I could be of most help here."

Ryuhiko looked around at everyone, his spirits buoyed by their smiles and warmth. "Now that we're all here... What was that ritual he was talking about? Asra?"

"It's the same ritual he tried to pull off three years ago," Asra said. "He needs twenty-two guests, each representing one of the twenty-two Arcana. Including all of us, except Mazelinka."

"When did you figure all of that out?" Julian asked.

"What, did you think I spent all this time sitting around and eating tiny sandwiches? I did some poking around in the palace, found a secret dining room..."

"Wait, but what about the other guests?" Portia asked. "Won't they be in danger?"

"Yes. But we cannot risk returning now. I doubt the Devil expects us to obey his orders." Nadia said. "He must have other plans to force us to participate."

"Blaggards like him always cheat!" Mazelinka said. "Which means there's only one thing to do."

Ryuhiko nodded firmly. "We need to take the fight to the Devil."

"...er, wait. That's a bad idea. Right? Tell me I'm not the only one who thinks that's a bad idea." Julian said.

"It's definitely a bad idea, but we don't have any other options. If we wait, there's no telling what might happen. We have to stop the Devil before he can do any more damage."

"I agree with Ryu. Even an incomplete ritual could be dangerous." Asra spoke up. "This might be our best chance to stop him for good."

"And how, exactly, will we do that?" Nadia asked. "Your magic is indeed powerful, Ryuhiko, but what will you do with it?"

"Uhhh, well. Can the Devil die? Is he killable?" Julian asked.

"I'm not sure, but I doubt it. The Arcana are concepts. Ideas. And you can't kill an idea." Asra explained.

"There must be another way," Nazali said.

"...I think I have an idea," Ryuhiko said. "When the Devil attacked us, I was able to redirect his chains."

"Oooh, right!" Portia said excitedly. "Didn't he seem kind of freaked out?"

"And he turned tail and ran right after." Mazelinka agreed.

"Are you proposing trying to bind the Devil with his own chains?" Nadia asked.

"I think it could work," Ryuhiko said. There was no way to tell for sure. But he'd never seen the Devil look unnerved until that moment.

"It's not a bad idea. If you can bind the Devil into his realm, he won't be a threat anymore." Asra said.

"Turning his own powers against him? It would be a fitting end." Nadia said.

"I'm guessing the Devil's gone back to his realm. It's where he's the strongest. But, truthfully, I've never tried to go there. I don't know the way."

"Arf!" Scout came bounding over a dune and skidded to a halt in front of them, tail wagging.

"Ah, Scout! Our erstwhile guide!" Julian grinned. "Good to see you again. You wouldn't happen to know where to find the Devil, would you?" Scout bobbed his head in an affirmative and trotted off, glancing expectantly back at them.

"Is this Scout a friend of yours?" Nadia asked.

"It's a long story, but he's led us safely through the realms before. We can trust him." Ryuhiko said. "Even when he takes us through danger, it's always been for a good reason."

"This might be the weirdest guide I've ever followed. Top five, at least," Nazali said. "I'm in."

"If you trust him, then I trust you, Ryuhiko. Let's go." Asra said. "But hold on. You've had a spell buzzing in your head for a while. You're going to need all your strength."

"A spell?" Ryuhiko asked. Then he felt it and recalled when he'd blocked that voice out. It felt like it happened ages ago. "Oh. I know what that is. There, gone." A sudden wave of powerful magic flooded over his mind, causing him to stumble.

"Ryu?? What happened? Are you alright?" Julian caught him and steadied him.

"I'm good. I'm fine, don't worry."

"Are you sure? Why did you stumble?"

"I forgot someone's been trying to contact me telepathically. Their magic is really powerful, so it caught me off guard. But I'm okay. Promise. We should go." He gestured after Scout.

Scout led them down the beach, towards a group of indistinct blobs. As they got closer, he realized what they were. The star-speckled seals they met in the Star's realm sprawled out in the sand, relaxing.

"Oh! Are those baby seals?" Portia asked. "Maybe this won't be so bad."

Scout shook his head and pointed further up the beach, to a dark, overgrown forest. Ryuhiko could feel its gloomy, forbidding atmosphere even from there.

"Spoke too soon."

"Huh... looks like I'll need something a little more practical for this," Asra said. His clothes rippled, his Masquerade gown becoming his everyday clothes. He ran his fingers through his hair. "Much better."

"Ah, what an excellent idea," Nadia said. With a snap of her fingers, Nadia transformed her feathered dress into an elegant jacket and breeches.

"Wait. What? How? How are you two doing that?" Julian asked.

"The rules of our realm don't always apply here. If you can imagine it, it can become real."

"That must be a real hit at parties, huh? I'll have to give it a try."

Scout barked, pointing insistently into the woods.

"Er, later! I'll give it a try later."

Satisfied, Scout trotted into the woods. Ryuhiko steeled his nerves and followed. The trees' trunks were twisting, crowns dense with foliage, and their gnarled roots were treacherous underfoot. Long, trailing streamers of vegetation drifted from the branches, forming tangled curtains of greenery. A vine caught on his shoulder. He went to brush it off, but it was strangely, unpleasantly sticky. When he pulled, the creeper began to curl around his hand. No matter how hard he yanked, he couldn't get free.

"Arf!" Scout scampered over, whacking the vine with his walking stick. As he did, something high in the canopy moved.

The vines around Ryuhiko weren't vines at all, but limbs. They rippled as some kind of creature swayed on a branch. Fine hairs covered the strangely boneless tendrils, each beaded with sticky sap. And they were all reaching for him.

"Rrrrrrrrr!" Scout had pried most of the tendrils off of him.

Ryuhiko pulled hard, and the last of it finally peeled away from his shoulder. All around them, the trees came alive with rippling tendrils as dozens of the creatures began to stir. Scout yipped sharply. Motioning for them to follow, he began to walk very, very slowly. Despite every fiber of Ryuhiko's body screaming at him to run, he forced himself to match the set pace. Around them, the tendrils undulated slowly, waving this way and that in search of prey. But the creatures didn't seem able to see them as long as they avoided touching them. Slowly, their numbers thinned, until they were to be entirely. Even so, Scout seemed tensed, sniffing the air and growling quietly. An uneasy feeling pickled at the back of Ryuhiko's neck. He glanced over his shoulder and saw nothing.

"You feel it too, don't you?" Nadia asked.

"Yeah. It's too easy." Nazali said.

"A bunch of weird plant-things is 'too easy'?" Portia asked.

"For a place like this? Absolutely. It must be a trap." Julian said. Just as he said it, a deep rumbled passed through the forest.

"You just had to jinx us, didn't you!"

Ahead of them, something burst up through the ground, flinging clumps of soil into the air. It looked almost like a lobster if a lobster could be completely transparent and the size of a small pony. Four ruby-red eyes rolled this way and that in its skull and fixed abruptly on them. It raised pincers the size of dinner plates, and the ground heaved as more of the creatures emerged, chittering to each other. Scout howled and ran further into the woods.

"Stick together! Ryu, hang on!" Julian grabbed Ryuhiko's hand and bolted in the direction Scout pointed them in.

What little light there was faded entirely. The group stumbled through the dark together, bumping into trees as they went. Ryuhiko tried to call a sphere of light, but it fizzled and went out with a _pop_. There was a brief flash from his right, but it too faded.

"Light spells aren't working!" Asra announced.

"Wait, look! Up ahead!" Julian said.

It took Ryuhiko a moment to see it. The faintest glimmer of light. Behind them, the storm of clicking and chattering faded, just as the source of light became clear. He recognized that lamp-post. Its dim red glow illuminated a hazy circle, and Nazali was the first to reach it. They turned, cupping their hands over their mouth, and called back toward them.

"I think we're clear. Everyone, gather up, let's do a quick headcount." They said.

Julian and Ryuhiko stepped into the light with Portia and Nadia right behind them. Asra was next, then Mazelinka. The only one missing was...?

"Scout?" Ryuhiko called.

"Scout, where are you?" Julian joined in. Nothing.

"Ryuhiko, you said Scout's always led you true through the realms, right?" Asra asked. Ryuhiko nodded, still straining to see through the darkness.

"Then we must wait, and trust that he will catch up to us," Nadia said.

"Gotta say, I've never been chased by a bunch of giant weird bugs before!" Portia said. "It was kinda fun!"

"I think I've seen those beasties before. But they were a _lot_ smaller." Mazelinka said.

"...Hey, wait a second. Why are we here?" Julian asked.

"In general?" Portia questioned.

"No, I mean, why are we here at this lantern? It's from the Hanged Man's realm."

With a hideous scream, the island reared up beneath their feet, sending them tumbling away. It wasn't an island at all. Instead, it was the top of a giant head. A vast, toothy maw yawned wide, and Ryuhiko reacted without thinking. Fire leaped to his fingers, and he hurled it straight down the monster's throat. It howled and thrashed, pitching from side to side. Nazali yanked him out of the way as teeth snapped alarmingly close to his head. The glowing bulb attached to its head bobbed, illuminating bits and pieces of it's misshapen, piscine body.

"Arowrowr!" A door opened in the distance. Scout's barking was coming from just beyond.

"Run for it!" Julian shouted.

They made a mad dash for Scout and safety and tumbled through the door. Ryuhiko caught a glimpse of two beady dark eyes before the portal snapped shut with a _bang_. When he regained his senses, he found himself in a field. Overhead, the stars twinkled gently. It was quiet. Safe. Not a monster in sight. Scout plopped down with an exhausted huff, and, slowly, the rest of them followed suit.

"Ilya?" Portia asked. "You alright?"

Julian looked at all of them, the motley little group sitting in a loose circle in the wheat. He seemed pensive. "It's just... well. Running through that forest, I realized something. All the people who matter most to me are right here. Any or all of us could get hurt. Maybe worse."

Oh no. Ryuhiko had heard that kind of talk from him before, though not for a while. Portia looked like she was gearing up for a lecture, but Julian hadn't finished yet.

"But even knowing the danger, you all came anyways. That's, you know, pretty amazing. No matter what might happen, we'll make it through. Together. I'm glad Ryuhiko and I aren't in this mess alone, and I—er, I...? Why are you all staring at me?"

"You've changed, Ilya," Mazelinka said.

"I, uh, I have?"

"Definitely. I see I was right about you and Ryuhiko."

"I... um..." Ryuhiko felt tongue-tied, embarrassed by the warmth in Mazelinka's expression.

Thankfully, Julian leaped to his rescue. "You're always right, Mazelinka. Isn't that what you kept telling us when we were kids?"

"That, and 'Ilya, have you been getting into trouble again?'" Portia added.

"I don't know why you kept asking. The answer was always yes!"

"Hush, you whippersnappers!" Mazelinka waved the spoon threateningly at him, and Julian ducked with a laugh.

Soon, they were all laughing, finally calming down after their trip through the dark forest. 

"Ruff!" Scout started to get up, then collapsed back down to a seated position again. He must have been too exhausted to continue. Instead, he pointed at the top of the hill and barked once. "Aruff!"

"Thank you, Scout," Ryuhiko said.

With a nod, Scout laid back to rest. The rest of them continued without him. They trudged through the field and up the hill. At the top, Ryuhiko looked down into a valley, and his breath caught. Around them, the wheat was alive, lush with life. But down the hill, a wide circle was scorched barren. Nothing lived in it. Not even a weed. At the center of that circle was a towering gate. Cruel iron chains crisscrossed its surface, binding it shut. And, standing between them and the gate...?

Lucio.

"I should've known _you'd_ get in our way." Asra sneered.

"Awww, don't be like that, Asra! Aren't you happy to see me?" Lucio asked.

"What are you doing here?" Nadia demanded.

"What are YOU doing here? We could be partying right now, but you all decided to ruin my fun! So hey, don't take this personally. But you won't be going any further."

Lucio lunged at Ryuhiko, closing the distance between them in an instant. Ryuhiko scrambled backward, just barely in time to avoid the swipe of golden claws. Or maybe a second too late, any pain swallowed by adrenaline. A pulse of magic sent Lucio flying a few feet.

"Get back here!"

"Oh no, you don't!" Mazelinka stepped in. Ryuhiko never thought a wooden spoon could parry a clawed gauntlet, but Mazelinka wielded it fearlessly.

"Mazelinka, don't hurt him! That's Ryuhiko's body!" Asra warned. Then he turned to the rest of them, speaking and keeping his voice low. "We'll need to trap him. Ryu, you remember how to cast a net spell, right?"

"I do, but can't Lucio just tear his way out of it?" Ryuhiko wiped the blood from his cheek.

"Not if we work together. We can make it strong enough to hold him. We just need a minute to prepare."

"A minute, two minutes, whatever you need. We've got you covered." Julian assured. Mazelinka staggered back with a grunt, looking intensely annoyed.

"What's the matter, grandma? Can't keep up?" Lucio taunted.

"Ilya, we're up!" Nazali said.

"En garde!" Julian put his fists up like a boxer, feinting and throwing out jabs. Ryuhiko kept an eye on the fight, even as he and Asra weaved the net, spinning their magic into gossamer threads.

"Leave the fighting to the real warriors, Jules." Lucio jeered.

"Ack!"

Ryuhiko's warning shout died in his throat as Nazali lunged into the fray. They grabbed Lucio's wrist, put a hand on his elbow, and in one graceful move, threw him to the ground. But the ex-Count leaped to his feet, his golden arm lashing out and striking Julian across the face. With an effort, Ryuhiko mastered his fear. The best thing he could do right then was help Asra with the spell. He had to stay put and trust in their friends.

Lucio advanced on Ryuhiko and Asra, his grin a bloodthirsty slash. "Now, what are you two up to?"

Nadia stepped between them, drawing an elegant sword from thin air. She leveled it at Lucio with a glare.

"Not you too, Noddy!"

"Portia, with me!" Nadia ordered.

"Got your back, milady," Portia said. Slashes of Nadia's sword countered each swipe of Lucio's claws. With a yell, Portia rushed him from the side.

"Almost done..." Asra said.

Ryuhiko forced himself to focus on the net. If he faltered now, the entire spell would unravel. Together, he and Asra infused the net with magic. It began to glow as if they'd trapped sunlight in its weave. Portia yelped in surprise and pain, but he swallowed his fear and kept his attention on the net.

"Done! Now we just need an opening..."

Ryuhiko looked back up, just in time to see Mazelinka catch Lucio across the ear with her spoon. "That's for Nevivon!" She said.

Lucio whirled on Mazelinka, snarling, and the tip of Nadia's sword caught him across the cheek.

"This is for Vesuvia!" Nadia growled.

Portia rammed her shoulder into Lucio's stomach, sending him sprawling. "This is for my brother!"

"Now!" Asra shouted.

Ryuhiko and Asra hurled the magical net over Lucio. With an outraged screech, he clawed at the strands. His alchemical arm hissed and steamed, but the magically-reinforced net held firm. He couldn't get free.

"And _that_ was for my parents."

"Hey! You can't do that! That's cheating!" Lucio whined.

Ryuhiko offered Julian a hand up, and he took it, grinning as he helped him to his feet.

Nadia strode purposefully toward Lucio, sword in hand. "Now. Whatever shall we do with you?"

From his awkward position, the net tangled around his limbs, Lucio craned his neck so he could see them. "Wait, wait, wait! Alright, listen, maybe we can work something out, right? You let me go, and, uh..."

"And?" Nadia pressed.

"I'll help you kill the Devil. That's what you're trying to do, right?"

Ryuhiko had his doubts. Even if Lucio was trustworthy, he wasn't close enough to any of them to lend his strength. Wiping more blood from his face, he made his decision. "No."

"What?! What do you mean, no? Trust me, you _need_ my help!"

"You'd say anything to save your own skin," Nazali said.

"And I trust you about as far as I can throw you!" Portia added. "Which... is pretty far, apparently, but still."

"Why won't any of you listen to me?! What did I ever do to any of you?" Lucio tried to appeal.

"You've done enough already," Asra said.

"I mean... well... you! I haven't done anything to you!" He pointed at Nazali.

"Not to me, personally." Nazali agreed. "But you've left a sea of bodies in your wake."

"But I've never, uh... I've never done wrong by you, Jules!"

"Yeah? You think so?" Julian snarled. "How about the time you gave me the plague?"

"What?! That was him?" Ryuhiko felt rage boiling his blood. There were similar gasps and exclamations of shock all around. He'd never heard that before. He had to work to overcome his anger, but finally, it receded. Enough. "Julian..." He put a hand on Julian's shoulder. "He's not worth the breath."

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?!" Lucio demanded.

Julian glared down at Lucio for a long moment, then sighed deeply, turning away from him. "I know, Ryu. I don't really do the whole grudge thing, you know. Not even over this. It's enough that I have you and everyone here. That's something he'll never understand." He took Ryuhiko's hand, squeezing gently. "Now, as far as what to do with him... Lucio. You made a deal with the Devil, didn't you?"

"Why? You interested in one too?"

"Absolutely not. Ryu, think you could use that power of yours to break those deals?"

"...what did you say?"

"Not bad, Ilya," Asra said. "It'll break the Devil's connection to him."

It looked like Lucio was starting to sweat. For the first time, he seemed to realize how much in danger he was.

"I can try," Ryuhiko said.

"Hey! Stop that right now! I never agreed to this!" Lucio shrieked.

"And I never agreed to have my body taken, so... Fair is fair, bastard."

Tuning out his howls of protest, Ryuhiko closed his eyes and slowed his breathing. He could almost feel the weight of the deals, the echo of the Devil's power burning like a brand. When he opened his eyes, he could see translucent chains wrapped tightly around Lucio's body. He took a step closer, reaching out to take hold of one of the chains.

"Hands off! Don't you dare!" Lucio shouted. "You'll regret this! You worm, I'll make you pay—!"

But, though he squirmed and fused blisteringly at Ryuhiko, the magical net held. There weren't as many chains as there were on Valdemar, but they were just as tight. He didn't think he could remove them by himself.

"Everyone, I need your help." Ryuhiko finally said. They all stepped up behind him, laying their hands on his shoulders and back.

"You got this, Ryuhiko!" Portia said.

Warmth and power flowed into him, mingling with his own magic. He breathed slowly, guiding the power down his arms and into his hands, grabbing hold of the chains. The metal shuddered under his hands, then began to darken. It spread out from where he was holding on until the chains were all as black as coal. With a ringing peal, the chains snapped. The magical backlash hit him first, knocking him back. Asra's net shattered in a flash of light.

"Ryuhiko!" Mazelinka called out. She and Julian caught him as he fell, and they tumbled to the ground in a heap.

A silvery mist rushed over his vision. When it faded...?

"Oof!" Julian almost dropped him but saved it at the last moment. "Is it, uh, just me, or did you get a lot heavier all of a sudden?"

Nazali offered Ryuhiko a hand, and he reached out to take it. Their warm, callused grip startled him. "Up you go." They pulled him to his feet, and he stumbled. His limbs felt leaden, as though his exhaustion had caught up all at once.

"Ryu... You have your body back!" Asra said.

Did he? Ryuhiko looked down at himself. He looked and felt _more_ , somehow.

"You do! Finally!" Julian swept him up and dipped him for a kiss.

Elation swept over him. Suddenly giddy, he wrapped his arms around Julian's neck, laughing into the kiss. Their friends cheered and clapped, and Portia whistled teasingly, but he didn't mind. After all that time, he finally had his body back. Wasn't that worth a little celebration?

"...urgh..." Lucio groaned. From his crumpled position on the ground, he struggled to sit up, then froze, staring at Ryuhiko. He frantically felt his own face, then reached up to check his receding hairline. "What... what did you do to me?!"

Ryuhiko had to lean on Julian to stay upright, but he was probably in better shape than Lucio right then. "I undid your deal with the Devil. Which gave me back my body, and gave you back yours, it seems."

"Oh, it's his alright. His original body, from before the fire." Asra said smugly. "The one he went to all that effort to replace. All that scheming, and he's right back at square one."

Lucio gaped at them in horror. "You... you little thief! Give it back!" He staggered upright and lurched toward Ryuhiko, but the Countess stepped in front of him.

"I've had enough of you, Lucio," Nadia said. "As Countess of Vesuvia, I hereby banish you from Vesuvia and all Vesuvian territories. I never want to hear from or see you again. Am I clear?"

"Excuse me?! You can't do that! I'm the Count!!" Lucio's spluttered protests faded into silence as Nadia raised her sword. He looked back and forth between them. Then he turned tail and fled over the hill and out of sight.

Nadia closed her eyes and tilted her head back. "...Finally. We are free of him, for good."

"Well, his lackey's out of the way," Julian said. "That just leaves the Devil himself."

The gate loomed silently ahead of them. Waves of hostility emanated from it, almost tangible in the still air. Ryuhiko reached a hand out toward the chains, but before he could touch them, they recoiled from him. They slithered away until the gate was clear. The iron bars were hot to the touch. He pushed, and with a ponderous groan, it swung open.

"Before we go in..." Asra began. "Ryu, you need to be careful. If anything happens to you..."

"Nothing is happening to him. Not on my watch!" Mazelinka interrupted.

"Yeah! I've got your back, Ryuhiko!" Portia joined in.

"We all do." Nadia agreed.

"That big ugly goat won't know what hit him," Nazali said.

"Well, what do you say, Ryu? Ready to go save the world?" Julian asked.

Ryuhiko looked through the gate, to the perilous realm beyond. "Let's do this."


End file.
